


Birds of a Feather

by SociallyAwkwardFox



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Blood, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Torture, Injury, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 17:17:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20586146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyAwkwardFox/pseuds/SociallyAwkwardFox
Summary: His soulmark wasn't of the normal sort-a large set of wings inked in black and purple covering his back and wrapping around his sides to cross over his abdomen. It was unique in a way he didn't understand, but he found comfort in it. A comfort that only grew when he finally crossed paths with his soulmate.





	Birds of a Feather

From his birth, a large set of raven wings inked in blacks and purples decorated his back from the tops of his shoulders to the curves of his hips. They wrapped around his ribs to overlap at his abdomen like a feathery pair of arms attempting to protect him. While his parents admitted the sheer size of the mark concerned them, they never attempted to dissuade his curiosity. His siblings were fascinated by it and often made a game out of guessing who his soulmate was and what they were like. Despite keeping his mark covered, it seemed like everyone in Whitestone knew about it and had some opinion on it.

He didn’t put nearly as much thought into it as others did, but he did develop a habit of tracing individual feathers whenever he was lost in thought. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember how the habit started, but the thought of not doing it now seemed strange to even consider. It relaxed him to run his fingers along the gentle curves of overlapping feathers that were part of him and not at the same time. It was a part of him that connected to something and someone more than himself, which felt equal parts incredible and terrifying.

When his entire world went spiraling out of control, the mark gave him hope he couldn’t explain that kept him pushing forward. It kept his body together as they tortured him relentlessly, the gentle purple glow that radiated off it gave him light in the darkness, no amount of burning or peeling removed it from his skin. Try as they might, his mark kept him company no matter what they did. Even after he was free of them, the mark provided something for him to focus on as he stumbled through his days.

As he stared up at the grimy ceiling of the cell, his fingers absentminded wandered over paths he long ago memorized. It didn’t help him come up with a way out of his current predicament, but it was better than not having anything to do with his hands. He immediately stopped at a strange sound outside his cell that he couldn’t place his finger on. With some difficulty, he pushed himself up to lean against the wall and locked his eyes on the door. A soft squeak broke the silence as someone pushed it open enough to poke their head through.

“Hello there, handsome. What are you doing in there?”

“Would you believe me if I said enjoying the view?”

A tinkling laughter accompanied the stranger slipping into the room to kneel in front of him. “Depending on how you answered my next question, I was going to get you out of here, but I can leave you here with the view.”

“Isn’t there a saying about too much of a good thing?”

“True.” Nimble fingers ran along his manacles until they found the keyhole that would allow him to remove them. “So, what did you get thrown in here for?”

“I went looking for revenge and my emotions got the best of me.”

“Revenge for what?”

“More than I think we have time for me to explain, but is torture enough of a reason for revenge to be justified?”

“You look a bit young to have white hair.”

“Well, it never grew back its natural color.”

After a brief silence, the fingers wrapped around his manacles messed with the lock until the click of it unlocking broke it. A firm hand gripped his to help him to his feet, then immediately released once he stopped swaying on his weak legs. He straightened out his clothing to be sure the stranger in front of him wouldn’t accidentally catch a glimpse of his mark and to make himself look a bit more presentable. Even in the limited light, he could see a hint of a smile playing along the man’s lips.

“While I’m inclined to believe you, we will be having a conversation later about why you ended up here and your other reasons for wanting revenge.”

“Fair enough.”

“Come on, we need to get out of here.”

* * *

“You do know that we broke into that prison to get Keyleth, not to break random prisoners out of their cells.” A half-elf almost identical to the one that broke him out of his cell stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. “Do you even know who this is?”

“We didn’t get a chance to exchange pleasantries. Can we get settled for the night before you interrogate him?”

“Do you even know his name?”

With an annoyed groan, the man turned to him and extended a hand for him to shake. “I’m Vax’ildan, and she’s Vex’ahlia. Vax and Vex for short. You are?”

“Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III.”

“That is the most ridiculous name I’ve ever heard.”

“You can call me Percy.”

“I certainly plan to.” As soon as he released Vax’s hand, he pointed at the other members of their group as he said their name. “That’s Grog, next to him is Pike, Scanlan, Keyleth and Trinket. Now everyone has been introduced. Let’s get comfortable, then we can talk.”

“If this turns out to be a problem, it’s one hundred percent your fault and I won’t let you forget it.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.”

Despite bickering the entire time, it didn’t take long for the group to get a decent camp setup for the night. While he wanted to be of use, any move he made to help just got in the way of someone else going about their business. Luckily, the gnome Vax introduced as Pike took pity on him by giving him something to do that didn’t involve being in the way. He could feel their eyes on him the entire time, but it was easy enough to act like he didn’t notice.

With the camp finished, the group settled down leaving him awkwardly standing off to side uncertain where he should sit. The two gnomes leaned against the hulking goliath, Vex leaned back against the enormous bear that followed her around, the druid sat cross legged as she played with the grass and flowers around her. As he realized Vax wasn’t among them, a hand landed on his shoulder causing him to jump in surprise.

“Sorry about that. You’ll get used to it.” The hand on his shoulder guided him to a spot across from Vex, then urged him to sit down. “Time to talk. With a name like that, I’m guessing you’re nobility. That’s not the kind of place I’d expect to find nobility.”

“I was.”

“Past tense?”

To keep himself from panicking as he spoke, he let his fingers wander along his sides. “My family ruled over a city, but… There was a party that my parents hosted to develop further develop their relationship with some visiting diplomats. They killed my parents and all my sibling, except for me and my younger sister. The person I attempted to get revenge on had them keep me alive. She heard about something that interested her and she wanted a chance to run some experiments on me. My sister got me out, but she didn’t make it. I’m the last of my family left. It was foolish of me to go looking for revenge.”

“Foolish, but understandable. I’d go looking for revenge, too.”

“I’m lucky you helped me. I doubt I would’ve been able to get out on my own.”

“I don’t know. You seem like a clever one.” As he spoke, Vax pulled a bundle out of his bag that he passed to him. “Am I allowed to give this to him now or did you want to ask him more questions?”

When Vex rolled her eyes at her brother, he handed over the bundle of clothing, his weapons and the small bag they took from him before tossing him in the cell. A quick look told him nothing had been taken or damaged, which meant he didn’t need to worry about supplies he wouldn’t be able to afford. Even the small amount of black powder he purchased sat untouched at the bottom of his pack.

“What is that?”

“It’s a weapon I designed. A gun.”

“You designed those? Where did you learn that?”

“I was always more interested in studying and building things than politics, which my parents were fine with considering I wasn’t the one meant to rule.”

“Interesting.” Vax casually leaned back on his hands as his curious eyes continued to inspect the gun resting on the ground next to him. “You should change out of those. They smell disgusting.”

“Sorry to offend. I’ll get right on that.”

“Good. We’ll burn them when you’re done.”

* * *

Despite fully intending to leave the group after paying them back for helping him out of prison, he ended up staying with them. A few weeks into traveling with them Vex pulled him aside to have a conversation that ended with her inviting him to join their ragtag group. Before he had time to think it over, he found himself accepting the invitation and the hug that Vex pulled him into when he did. While they grew closer and closer, he continued to keep his mark hidden from them out of habit. It wasn't until several months into adventuring together the others finally saw the mark.

“Someone get his armor off.” Pike's concerned yet firm voice cut through the pain enough for the words to distract him from it. “I need him on his chest.”

A blinding pain shot through him as his armor was pulled over his head as quickly as possible exposing his skin to the cold air. Before he slumped forward onto his face, a pair of hands caught him and gently lowered him onto his front. A sharp intake of breath followed by an expletive was all he needed to hear to know how horrendous his back looked. He clawed desperately at the ground as magic began to heal the wounds, only to have a warm hand grab his hand and thread their fingers together. The gentle slide of hands running through his hair helped to calm him until Pike finished healing him.

“How are you feeling Percy?”

After taking a moment to breathe freely, he pushed himself up to find Pike standing in front of him and Vax sitting at his side. Tentatively, he rolled his shoulders and twisted his torso, then let out a relieved sigh when he felt no pain. He smiled gratefully at the cleric.

“Much better. Thank you.”

“You're welcome. It might be healed, but it would do you good to give your back some rest. That was a heavy hit you took.”

“I'll be sure to do that.”

“Good.”

“Wow. That's impressive.” A sharp whistle followed Scanlan's words as he stepped around him to stand next to Pike. “How have we not seen that before? How many other tattoos are you hiding from us?”

“It's not a tattoo.”

“That's your mark?”

“Yes.”

“I've never seen one that large.”

“Most people haven't.”

Before Scanlan could make a dirty comment, Vax stood between them with his armor in hand and the silent offer to help him put it back on. He graciously accepted the help getting it over his head and adjusting the clasps. To his surprise, Vax's hands lingered at his side for a few seconds longer than necessary, then disappeared to pull his singed coat around him.

“We should get out of here. There could be more of those things.”

“Agreed.”

* * *

The door shutting behind him blocked most of the sound from the busy tavern below giving him peacefully silence for the first time in weeks. After stripping down to his trousers and undershirt, he took a seat at the small desk crammed in the corner to clean his guns. The familiar methodical nature of the task let his body and mind relax as his hands did all the work for him. Upon completing the task, he placed his pistol on the bedside table for easy access.

Just before crawling into bed, a firm knock on the door interrupted him. While he wanted nothing more than to ignore it, he moved to open the door and found Vax waiting on the other side. Without a word, he stepped aside to let Vax in, then shut the door behind him. Despite the easy setting, he saw tension in the stiffness of Vax's shoulders and rigid posture that gave him pause.

“Is something the matter?”

Instead of answering Vax took a seat on the edge of the bed and gestured for him to do the same, then spoke once he did. "Something's been on my mind, but I wanted to wait until we had a chance to speak alone together to talk about it."

“What's been on your mind?”

“Can I see your mark?”

“I…” Questions danced on the tip of his tongue, but he pushed them all down. “Of course.”

He did his best to keep his hands steady as he reached down to grip the bottom of his shirt and pull it over his head. Rather than meet Vax's eyes, Percy turned his back to let him see the large mark taking up the entirety of his back. Several long minutes passed by with him sitting patiently staring at the wall trying not to think too much about the current situation. A shiver ran down his spine when a fingertip traced along one of the feathers.

“For some reason, I can't get this out of my head.” Vax pressed his palms against the bottom of Percy’s shoulder blades, then slid them along the curve of the bone up to his shoulders. “I couldn't figure out why my mind kept coming back to this. Even Vex noticed something was off, but I didn't have an explanation.”

“I'm not sure I can help.”

“I had a thought the other night when I was on watch. I don't think about my mark often. My mother and father shared a mark, but my father left her because she wasn't an elf. Being soulmates wasn't enough, so I never saw my mark as something guaranteed. The mark doesn't mean love, just a possibility of what can be.”

The hand on his shoulders disappeared for a moment, then returned to give a firm squeeze that spoke of emotions Vax couldn't put into words. His hands slipped forward to brush along the front of Percy’s chest down to where the wings overlapped. The new position pressed the length of Vax's firm chest along Percy’s back and brought him close enough to rest his chin on his shoulder. When Percy looked down, the palms flat on his abdomen flipped to reveal two bird skulls in black and purple inked into his forearms.

“Birds of a feather.”

Both hands skimmed along his sides as they returned to his back to trace along the feathers and knead into the muscle. Vax’s forehead pressed into the back of Percy’s neck as he released a shuddering breath against exposed skin. When Vax lifted his head up, Percy slowly turned around to face the half-elf wearing a carefully blank expression. He slowly lifted a hand to caress along the side of Vax's face, then dropped it to brush along the skull on one of his arms.

“What do you want to do about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said it yourself, marks are a possibility of what could be. Is this a possibility you want to consider?”

It shouldn't have surprised him that Vax went from sitting patiently before him to crowding into his space with his fingernails digging into the skin of his shoulders. “For weeks now, I've had nothing but you and your mark on my mind. It's all I could think about. Some part of me desperately wanted to see this and touch every inch of it. There's a draw to it. Maybe, it's part of the reason I wanted to get you out of that cell. I'll admit I've been fascinated by you since we met, but I didn't think it was anything more than attraction.”

“It might not be. It's possible the marks are giving you the courage to say something you wouldn't have otherwise.”

“Possibly. I'm not sure that explains the… draw. Do you feel it?”

“I…” As he took a moment to access his own feelings, he realized the sensation of Vax pressed against him set all his senses alight. “I never put much thought into marks either, but I always found comfort in mine. It gave me something to cling to during the worst moments in my life. We've known each other a short time, but you've given me the same sense of comfort.”

“Fuck! This feels like too much. Is it supposed to feel like this?”

Vax's hands moved up to clutch at Percy’s hair in a tight grip that threatened to pull the strands out of his head, but he made no move to stop him. He gripped onto Vax's waist with a bruising force that would've dragged him closer if they weren't already pressed together. Slowly, their foreheads drifted together, until they rested against each other with their breath mingling between them.

When their lips met, the feathers etched into his skin warmed to an almost uncomfortable degree, but he didn't want to pull away. A warm tongue gliding questioningly along his lips led to the kiss deepening and pulling him further under. The hands in his hair trailed down his back in an attempt to bring them closer as Vax pressed all his weight against him. He pushed back against the rogue to keep them from falling backwards earning him a pleased moan.

They were both panting when they finally broke the kiss, only going far enough to make eye contact. A soft flush that he'd never seen before colored Vax's cheeks. While maintaining eye contact, he took hold of one of Vax's arms to run a gentle finger over the mark emblazoned on it. The shiver that ran through him at the mere touch caused him to sway dangerously backwards with a sharp gasp.

“I'm not sure whether to tell you to never do that again or never stop.” When he released the arm, Vax brought his hand to rest on his pectoral to stabilize himself. “It's not supposed to be that intense, is it?”

“A mark isn't normally as large as mine and it's equally as uncommon for a mark to mirror like yours. I don't think anything about this can be classified as normal.”

“Fair enough. We aren't exactly the most normal of people.”

“There's that, too.”

Uncertain fingers tapped out a broken rhythm on his chest, then came to an abrupt halt. “What would you say if I told you I didn't want to leave tonight?”

“Don't.”

“You don't mind?”

“Not in the slightest. As strange as it might sound, I do enjoy your company. You’re welcome to join me whenever you wish.”

“You'll regret saying that.”

“Possibly, but the offer stands.”

As gently as possible, he moved Vax to lie on his back in the middle of the bed, so he could get up to turn off the two lamps keeping the room illuminated. He could feel eyes watching him the entire time he moved around the room putting the lights out and locking the door. By the time he returned to the bed, Vax was comfortably reclined against the pillows with his loose hair tumbling in long, onyx waves over one shoulder. After taking a moment to commit the scene before him to memory, he joined Vax under the covers and easily adjusted to the half-elf's whims. He ended up on his back with Vax curled against his side letting his finger dance along the mark.

“Make sure to get some sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow.”

“Go to sleep, Percival.”

* * *

They were camping in the middle of a cave they ventured into for a contract that promised to pay them a hefty sum. Considering their rough day, it didn't surprise him in the least they ended up calling it an early night. What he didn't expect was Vex to offer to take first watch with him and usher her brother away to take a seat next to him. They sat in comfortable silence for the first half of their shift, when Vex decided to break it.

“Percy, can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“What's going on between you and my brother? I'd ask him, but I'm sure he'd give me the run around for a while. I get the feeling you'll be more willing to talk to me. Obviously, you don't have to talk to me about it and I won’t be upset if you don’t.”

“I don't want to betray your brother's trust, but we are friends and I would like to have someone to talk to about this. Honestly, you're probably the best person to talk to. So, I have something to ask of you before I do.”

“What is it?”

“Everything I say stays between you and me. No telling the others or using the knowledge to force information out of your brother. If he doesn't want to talk to you yet, I'm sure he has his reasons.”

Vex shifted closer to him to place a hand on his forearm for a quick, reassuring squeeze. "I promise. I care deeply about my brother. The last thing I want to do is hurt him.”

“I know.”

“So, spill the details. Tell me what's been on your mind.”

“Do you remember a few months ago when I got hurt and my armor had to be removed to heal me?”

“Yes, that was terrible.”

“You all saw my mark, and it caught your brother's attention.” The eyes watching him closely went wide and the grip on his arm tightened to an almost painful degree. “When we stayed in that tavern a few weeks ago, he came to my room to have a private conversation. He told me what had been on his mind and the conclusion he came to.”

“You're soulmates.”

“Birds of a feather, as your brother put it.”

“That's… that's incredible.”

“It's a bit strange.”

“Why is that?”

After checking to make sure no one woke at the sound of their voice, he returned his attention to the ranger. “Our marks aren't the usual sort. Mine is enormous and your brother's is mirrored. Your brother touched my mark and it felt… more than anything I'd ever heard, and the same was true for him. When we kissed, I-I don't know how to explain it. Growing up, I learned about soulmates and mark, but I never heard about anything like this.”

“Like you said, your marks aren't the usual sort. It must have something to do with that. If the two of you want to know why, we'll figure it out.”

“Is it wrong that I don't want to?”

“No, I wouldn't want to tell a stranger about something that personal. The two of you can figure it out together. No one else needs to be involved.”

“Thank you, Vex. You're a good friend.”

“I know.” She laughed at his eye roll, then nudged his shoulder with her own as she leaned casually against him. “I can't believe you kissed my brother. Do you know where he's been?”

“We do spend most of our day together.”

“Exactly. Why would you put your mouth anywhere near him?”

“Well, when two consenting adults-”

“Ew, no! Stop that right there. I don't want to hear about that. We can be friends, but you have to swear to me that you'll never talk about that.”

“I swear it.”

“Good, then we can still be friends.”

“I'm honored to call you a friend.”

“You should be. I'm one of the best people you'll ever meet, and don't you forget it.”

“Never.”

* * *

While each fight came with the possibility of death, it always hit the hardest when the possibility nearly turned into a reality. A scream of Vax's name ripped from his throat as he watched the thug towering over him thrust a dagger at him. After the hits he took earlier, there was the very real possibility that a dagger to the chest would knock him unconscious. Horror flooded his veins as the dagger easily sank into his chest two times.

Relief filled him when Vax continued to stand his ground against the thug, then the pain hit him out of nowhere. His body tipped sideways to lean heavily against the tree as he clutched at the source of the pain. Looking down revealed two wounds slowly darken the front of his armor with blood that his trembling hands did little to help slow the flow. He eased himself down the tree to rest his back against the base of it for support. Despite his best efforts, his vision began to blur into a cacophony of colors and the pressure against his wounds slackened.

“Percival! Percy, look at me!” Something gently cradled the sides of his face to lift his head, but it didn't help him make out the blurry figure before him. “Pike, you need to get over here! Percy's bleeding out.”

The sound of voices around him mixed together into an intelligible noise that made no sense to him, so he gave up attempting to piece their meaning together. A sudden warmth filled his body causing him to jerk in surprise and let out a pained grunt as it jostled his injuries. As the pain began to fade, the voices he heard started to have meaning once more and the blurry world around him cleared. Vax's concerned face greeted him, then his lips morphed into a tired smile.

“What the fuck happened, Percival?”

“I honestly have no idea. That asshole stabbed you, but you were fine. Suddenly, I felt this pain and I… I don't know what happened.”

With his eyebrows drawn together in concern, Vax reached out to touch the dark patches staining Percy’s armor, then pulled back to run along his own armor. “How is that possible?”

“What?”

Vax carefully took one of Percy’s hands in his own, then pressed it against the wet splotch from his wound and the dry slits on Vax's armor. “They're in the same spots.”

“Did I… do something?”

“It does appear that way.”

“I can't say I regret it.” A strained grunt slipped from him in the process of struggling to his feet, only to have some of his weight taken by Vax sliding under an arm to provide support. “We should probably figure that out. It could be a problem.”

“You don't say.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat near them brought their attention to the cleric standing patiently with the rest of their group. “I don't want to pry, but it might help me in the future to know what you're talking about. Are you saying Percy took those hits for you?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“It's…” While Vax’s tense posture spoke of uncertainty, the resolve to say what only the two of them and Vex knew won out. “There's something we haven't told you, except for Vex'ahlia because she wheedled it out of Percy. I wasn't ready to say anything, but there are obviously consequences we need to consider.”

“Consequences to what?”

“Percy and I are soulmates, but it's different than others. There's something more to it than either of us have ever heard of. We don’t have any idea what the extent of it is, so transferring injuries wasn’t something we expected.”

“Well, I can't say I've ever heard of anything like that before, but I could get in touch with some people that might know something. Would you like me to do that?”

“I'm not sure it's the best idea to let other people know about it, not yet at least.”

Pike placed a comforting hand on Vax's arm with a soft smile. “We'll figure something out. For now, we should find somewhere to make camp, so everyone can get some rest, especially Percy.”

“Lead the way, Pickle.”

“Don't fall behind.” Before she took more than a few steps, she turned back to them with the same soft smile on her face. “I'm glad you found each other. May you both be happy for years to come.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

The crackling of the hearth and gentle flickers of flames provided the perfect atmosphere after spending a long day trudging through the rain. Despite feeling plenty warm, he tugged the blanket around him a little tighter and shifted closer to the fire. Keyleth and Vex were huddled close together against Trinket soaking in the warmth, while Scanlan did the same against Grog. A quick search around the room told him their two missing party members had yet to finish their baths.

“What do you think, Percy?”

“Sorry? I missed that.”

Vex rolled her eyes at him but repeated the question without making a comment about his mind being elsewhere. “We're discussing whether it's better to dance or kiss in the rain, and don't say both. That's not one of the options.”

“Does it matter?”

“It's not supposed to matter. Just answer the question: dancing or kissing?”

“I've never experienced either, but I suppose I'll go with dancing.”

“See!” Keyleth waved her arms around in excitement. “I'm not the only one! Thank you, Percy.”

“You're welcome.”

“Dancing in the rain is very romantic.”

“I'd prefer to stay in where it's dry after the day we've had, but I'm sure it is when you haven't spent the day in it.”

“Exactly!”

Suddenly, a warm body pressed against his side, then clever fingers removed the blanket from his grip and wrapped it around their own form. Wet strands of hair clung to the side of Vax's face that he quickly pushed out of the way when he noticed Percy looking. While the warm bath pinkened Vax's skin, Percy could see a lingering tremble in his fingers from the cold. After adjusting their position so Vax leaned back against his chest with his head resting against his shoulder, he captured Vax's hands in his own and rubbed them gently to return warmth to them.

“What are we talking about?” One of Vax's hands slipped from between Percy’s to lazily twist a lock of hair around his finger.

“Whether dancing or kissing in the rain is better.”

Despite not being able to see his face, it was easy to imagine the vaguely annoyed look Vax sent his sister. “Why is that the topic of conversation? I'd prefer to forget about the rain.”

“Don't spoil the fun. Come on, brother. Which would you prefer to do with Percy?”

“I'd prefer to do what we're doing right now. Staying warm by the fire with no rain in sight.”

“That's not an answer.”

“I'm pretty sure it was. I'm very cozy right here.” To prove his point, Vax snuggled back into Percy’s chest and made a show of lacing their fingers together to pull their arms around him. “See? Fuck the rain.”

“That wasn't one of the options, brother.”

“Shut up.”

“Or what?”

“I'd be happy to drag Percival up to bed where you won't be. We'd actually get a chance to relax in peace.”

“I highly doubt that's what the two of you would be doing.”

“What we do in private is none of your business.”

A smirk appeared on Vex's face as she leaned over Keyleth to get a better look at her brother. “Then why did you bring it up?”

With a groan, Vax pressed his face against the side of Percy’s neck and curled tighter against him to block off the people around them. Ignoring the others, Percy began to slowly run his hands along Vax's back to encourage him to relax. The breath ghosting along his throat gradually slowed, until it became clear that Vax had fallen asleep. When he glanced up at the others, he found Vex watching them with a small smile.

After carefully maneuvering Vax around to pick him up, he got to his feet while keeping an eye out for any signs of waking him. “It's been a long day. I think it's time for us to head to bed.”

A chorus of good nights came from their party that he answered in kind before turning to ascend the stairs that led to their room. With a bit of difficulty, Percy opened their door and gently closed it with the heel of his foot on the way in. Once Vax was settled on the bed, he went about getting ready for bed as quietly as possible to prevent waking the half-elf. When he joined his partner in bed, the rogue rolled over to pillow his head against Percy’s pectoral and wrap an arm around his waist. Before resting his head against the pillow to sleep, he pressed a kiss to the top of Vax's head.

* * *

If he didn't already know that Vax wasn't his usual self, the slight creak of the door opening signaled his arrival in the early hours of the morning would have done it. Instead of speaking, Percy shuffled to the opposite side of the bed to give Vax plenty of space. Without a word, Vax crawled into bed next to him and tangled their fingers together. Despite the lack of proper lighting in the room, the stain of dry tear tracks on his face and puffy eyes were obvious to him.

He rolled onto his side to get a better view of the half-elf next to him staring blankly up at the ceiling. A little coaxing got Vax to mirror his position, but his eyes remained concerningly blank. The pain of nearly losing one of their own had hit them all hard and the group ended up splinter off after Pike’s resurrection to deal with the terrible experience. Grog refused to let Pike out of his sight with Scanlan never far from them, the twins disappeared off together and Keyleth clung to him until she headed to her room for an early night. Knowing Vax, all his energy went into comforting his sister, while he forced most of his own feelings down.

The space between them felt like a ravine he hesitated to cross for fear of spooking something unseen on the other side. Minutes dragged on as they simply soaked in the other person's presence, then the mood shifted. Fresh tears spilled down Vax’s face along the bridge of his nose and dripped down to the pillow below him. Vax curled into a tight ball, like he was trying to hold everything in, that took up barely any space on the bed. 

When Vax reached a hand out for him to take, Percy shuffled closer to his partner so he could curl around him to protect him from the outside world. Idly, his fingers traced the familiar pattern of a bird skull on Vax's arm over and over again. Eventually, the tears came to a stop, but Vax didn't make a move to relax his body or engage in conversation. His breathing went from hitching and stuttering to a deep, steady rhythm that he could only hope meant he found sleep.

The fragile peace between them gradually led him closer and closer to the precipice of sleep, only to be pulled back at a slight movement. A shuddering breath pierced the silence as Vax tipped his head back to look at him with searching eyes. Vax's hands moved to grip at the juncture of the wings inked into Percy’s back and pulled him closer. More tears threatened to pour down Vax’s face, but Percy quickly wiped them away before they could.

“Did you see Scanlan's face? He didn't even have to check. He just knew. I keep thinking about that. The heartbreak and desperation. Whenever I close my eyes, it's all that I see. And, I can't help but wonder, what if it were you? I felt lost seeing Pike like that. I can't even begin to imagine what it would feel like if you were the one in her place, but the harsh reality of our lives is it could have easily been you. It could have been you and I wouldn't have been able to do anything. Lost and helpless.”

He brushed away more tears as he carefully considered what to say. “It is a harsh reality. One made even harsher by what happened today, but that's also life. Even if we didn't live the lives we lead, nothing is guaranteed. Death is the inevitable end to all things, and if we focus on that, we'll be in constant fear of losing those we love. I don't want to live like that. When the time comes that we must part ways, I don't want there to be regrets. Regrets of things unsaid, or actions not taken. I don't think that will make it easier to handle, but I want the most out of us. It might be selfish, but that's how I feel.”

“It's not, because I want that too. I want as much as we can get before it's gone.”

“Then we focus on that, and not the possibility of one of us dying.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Most things in life are complicated. It's important to simplify things whenever possible.” A heavy blink from Vax eased some of his concerns that the rogue wouldn't be able to sleep through the night. “Plus, I'd rather focus on the fact you're here in my arms than the alternative.”

“There's nowhere else I'd rather be at the moment.”

“I'm not sure whether to be flattered or insulted. Was at the moment necessary to include?”

“I have to keep you on your toes somehow.”

“If there's one thing you don't need to worry about, it's keeping me on my toes. Honestly, I could do with a little less of that. I'd say you're going to make me go grey early, but it's a little late for that.”

Clever fingers ran through his hair as Vax shuffled closer with a sleepy smile on his face. “White looks good on you.”

“I'm glad you think so. It would be a shame if you didn't.”

“It's hard to imagine you without the white hair. I'm very fond of it.”

“I'm rather fond of your hair as well.” After fighting back a yawn, he pressed a kiss to the top of Vax's head and let his eyes fall shut. “It's rather lovely and very soft.”

“Go to sleep, Percival.”

“I am. Make sure you get some sleep.”

“Promise.”

* * *

To keep from getting separated, he kept his arm looped with Keyleth’s as they navigated the bustling streets. Every so often they checked one of the stalls or buildings for something that might be useful on their journey. After restocking his supply of black powder and other useful things, he contented himself to being dragged along on Keyleth's whim. When she perked up at something, their direction quickly changed to a side street less crowded than the one they had been on.

“Did something catch your eye?”

“Vex found a place she wants us to meet.”

It didn't take long for them to find Gilmore's Glorious Goods among the row of rather bland shops taking up the rest of the street. As soon as they entered, he understood why Vex wanted them to meet at this particular shop. The gentle thrum that even he could recognize as magic filled the space and many of the shelves had items that could be of use. His attention zeroed in on Vax carefully inspecting a dagger with a critical eye and disguised excitement.

When a well-dressed man joined his side, Vax began fiddling and testing the dagger with more complicated skills and tricks. While he kept his attention focused on the man, his eyes found his sister's a few times as he considered the weapon. After a few minutes, he placed the dagger back on the display and started browsing some of the other items. He was so focused on everything available, Vax missed Percy joining Vex on the other side of the shop.

“How long have the two of you been in here?”

“Long enough for a couple of things to catch our eye.”

“Enough to consider buying?”

“You saw the way he looked at that dagger.”

“I didn't see the way he looked at anything else.”

“If you're looking for a present, you know he prefers pointy things to anything else.” The teasing tone of Vex's words did little to cover the obvious help she wanted to provide. “Unless you've got an eye on a ring. He might like that a bit more.”

“It's a bit soon to be considering that.”

“I don't see why. You're practically married already.”

“You're exaggerating.”

“I wish I were exaggerating. It's disgusting how domestic the two of you are.”

“Nothing about our lives is domestic.”

“And yet, you manage to find a way. It's incredible really.”

He rolled his eyes at the ranger's teasing, earning him a firm elbow to the ribs. “Would you prefer us fighting all the time?”

“Of course not. You know I want you both to be happy. I tease because I care.”

“I know. Since you care, would you do me a favor?”

“Don't worry. I'll distract my brother.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome. I expect a drink for my troubles later.”

“Since when do you consider spending time with your brother trouble?”

“Two drinks.”

“That's fair.”

After waiting a few moments for Vex to drag her brother to the other side of the store, he made his way over to dagger Vax had his eye on. While far from an expert, there was no denying the excellent craftsmanship and care that went into creating the dagger. An intricate design on the handle glowed softly with a magical aura. He knew exactly why Vax found it so hard to put down.

“Can I help you with that?” A smooth voice accompanied the well-dressed man that spoke to Vax about the dagger.

“Yes, how much for this?”

“Ah, an excellent choice. First, I should introduce myself, then we’ll discuss price. I'm Gilmore.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III. You can call me Percy.”

“Percy it is.”

* * *

Amusement filled him at the sight of Grog and Scanlan attempting to chat up a couple of women at the bar. Before going to talk to the two women, they had been sure it wouldn't be difficult to catch their attention, but that was obviously not the case. It had been obvious to him prior to them making any attempt, yet neither listened to his suggestion they might be spoken for. He could only hope the rejection would do them some good.

“Do you think they've figured it out?” A hint of laughter tinted Pike's words.

“Not at all.”

“Anyone want to bet on whether one of them gets alcohol dumped on them?”

“That's a terrible bet to make. Nine times out of ten that happens.”

“I'm just trying to make things more interesting.”

Vex's signature smirk curled across her face as she leaned forward with her elbows resting on the table. “If we want to make things more interesting, we should change the topic of conversation.”

“What would you suggest, Stubby?”

“I went looking for you this morning, and I couldn't find you. Care to explain?”

“Just because I wasn't in my room, doesn't mean you couldn't have found me.”

“Don't be stupid. When I couldn't find you in your room, I checked Percy's room and the workshop. You weren't in either of those places. So, where did you run off to before we left this morning? And don't say you were with Percy because I know you weren't. I found him.”

“Have you considered that it's none of your business?”

“That's why I asked.”

“Then I'm sure you're not surprised that all I have to say is I'm not telling you because it's none of your business.”

“Is it that embarrassing?”

When Vax straightened up to defend himself, Percy placed a comforting hand on his lower back to calm Vax down. With an exhausted sigh, the half-elf fell back against his side and plucked his hand off the table to play with his fingers. While Vex narrowed her eyes in suspicion, she didn’t continue her line of questioning to force information out of her brother. To show his appreciation, he sent her a grateful smile that she acknowledged with a smirk.

“Fine. If you refuse to talk about that, what do you want to talk about?”

“We could discuss our plan for tomorrow. We do intend to have one those, don’t we?”

“Don’t bring down the mood. Come up with something more interesting than that.”

“Fine.” Vax tapped his fingers thoughtfully against the tabletop, then abruptly stopped as an idea came to mind. “Who wants to bet that I can sneak into Grog’s room tonight and draw something on his face?”

“What would you draw?”

“I’m open to requests.”

A choked off laugh from Pike drew his attention to the bar in time to catch the end of one of the women slapping Grog hard across the face. He didn’t bother to hide his amused smirk at the hilarious sight of the other woman tipping her drink over Scanlan's head. Both women rose from their stools to leave the bar without a backwards glance at the two left standing dumbstruck behind them.

“Think you could trace the imprint of a hand on his face?”

“It would be my pleasure. Who’s betting on what?”

* * *

Fingers threaded through his hair with a firm grip but were careful not to tug or tighten too much. It hadn't taken him long to figure out Vax tended to cling to him when they found time to enjoy each other's company. His hair, his shoulder, his back, his hands. Vax always found something to latch onto with his clever fingers as their lips moved together. While he didn't mind the gripping hold, Percy much preferred the gentle glide of fingers along Vax's mark on his body.

“Percival,” With Vax’s knees bracketing the side of his hips, Vax looked down at him when he straightened up with a raised eyebrow. “is something on your mind?”

“No. What makes you think that?”

“It’s not difficult to tell when your head is in the clouds. I don’t understand how you spend so much time up there.”

“Sorry. I don’t mean to-”

Vax rolled his eyes as he dropped down to bring them closer to their normal height difference, so Percy no longer had to tip his head back to see the half-elf’s face. “There’s no reason to apologize. I know that your mind has a tendency to run away with you. You can talk to me about what goes on up here. I can’t promise that I’ll understand what you’re talking about, but I’m here if you do want to put your thoughts into words.”

“Are you should you want to offer to do that? I could bore you to death.”

“The worst thing you could do is put me to sleep, and you know I don’t mind drooling all over you.”

“Did you ever consider that I’m not a fan of getting covered in your saliva?”

“You’ve never complained about it before.”

“That’s because you’re still fast asleep when I would complain.” He dipped down to swallow Vax’s laughter in a kiss that earned him a gentle tug and a throaty moan. “However, I’ve been covered in significantly worse things than your drool, so I can’t say that I mind. Feel free to continue drooling all over me.”

“Wow. That’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. This is the best day of my life.”

“I suppose that means it’s only downhill from here.”

“I don’t know. I can think of a few ways things can get better from here.”

“Would you care to share?”

“Maybe. Did you want to talk about what was on your mind early before I do?”

“Honestly?”

“Well, I don’t want you to lie to me.”

“You.”

“What about me?”

He couldn’t resist smiling at the crinkle of Vax’s eyebrows and slight tilt of his head in confusion. “I was thinking about you.”

“Are you telling me the thought of me was distracting you while I was kissing you?”

“When you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous.”

“It is a little ridiculous.” The fingers in his hair trailed down the back of his skull to play with the hair at the base of his neck. “Were you just thinking about how amazing I am or was there something in particular on your mind?”

“Your hands.”

“What about my hands?”

“Their habits.”

“What habits?”

“You don’t know what your hands have been up to?”

“I’d like to know what they’re doing that gets you so lost in your own head.”

After a slight pause, Percy reached back to move one of Vax’s hands from his neck down his side and under his shirt to rest against the mark. “In the moment, you’re very clingy. I don’t mean that in a negative way. You hold on and grip like you never want to let go. I love that you get lost in the moment like that. I’m honor that you feel comfortable enough around me to do that.”

“But you prefer this.” Fingers moved along the gentle curve of feathers decorating his side. “I noticed you do this when you’re thinking and don’t have anything to occupy your hands.”

“It’s a habit I’ve never been able to break. There’s something relaxing about it.”

“I can see that. I-uh… I know your mark isn’t the easiest to do that to without drawing attention to yourself. I wouldn’t mind if you do it with mine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now,” The fingers gliding over his side dug into his skin as Vax pushed into him with a devilish smirk. “I think we should go back to what we were doing. What do you think?”

“I think that’s an excellent idea.”

* * *

“You know what would be cool?” While he'd been distracted by the rhythmic twist of Keyleth's hands threading flowers through the thick plait she braided Vax's hair into, he found himself mindlessly making a noise of interest. “What if you could heal each other? I mean, there are times when it's useful to take each other's injuries, but healing would be even more useful!”

“That would be pretty cool.”

“Have you tried?”

“What? Healing each other?”

“Yes.”

A look of contemplation crossed Vax's face. He should have expected the half-elf to pull a dagger from his belt to cut a gash into the palm of his hand, but his lack of focus prevented him from putting a stop to it. “What do you say we give it a shot?”

“Vax!”

“It's just a little cut. If Percy can't do anything about it, you can heal it.”

“I didn't want you to hurt yourself.”

“I know that, but I'm curious as well. Isn't it better to start learning what we can do outside dangerous situations? Percy nearly bled out because we didn't know he could take an injury for me.”

“Well, you do have a point.”

“I do, Kiki.” Blood dripped to the grass when Vax held out his hand. “What do you say, Percival?”

“You didn't leave me much of a choice.”

After moving to sit in front of Vax, he took the offered hand sluggishly seeping blood from the open wound. Not knowing what else to do, his other hand reached out to take Vax’s other forearm in his free hand so he could run his thumb over the bird skull hidden beneath his shirt sleeve. When nothing happened, he tapped his fingers thoughtfully as he did his best to accurately remember how he took Vax's injury from him. His body had been thrumming with so much adrenaline at the time he could hardly recall what triggered the shift.

He nearly dropped Vax's hand at the sudden wash of warmth that filled the center of his chest. It pulsed like a second heartbeat against his ribs, then began to spread through him. The feeling consumed him so completely he didn't notice when it reached his hands, but the audible gasp from Keyleth clued him in. Where there was once a cut, the skin of Vax's hand looked as pristine as it had before the self-inflicted wound.

“You did it! That’s amazing.” In her excitement, Keyleth tugged on Vax’s braid causing him to wince in pain. “Sorry!”

“It's fine, Kiki. I'm sure Percy can help with that.”

“Really? You don't know the limitation of this. It could hurt Percy. Maybe we should have Pike look you over. It's best to play it safe.”

“It's fine. We're starting to learn what's possible, but we won't push it to the limits.”

“Good. I don't want either of you to get hurt, so be careful. Maybe, don't try to do anything without someone that can help around.”

“We promise to be good, little boys that only test our bond when there's a responsible adult in the immediate vicinity.”

This time Keyleth tugged Vax's braid on purpose with just enough force to get a surprised yelp from the rogue. “I'm serious. It's incredible that you have the ability to help each other like this, but we don't know what potential consequences might come from it. You said it yourself. Percy nearly bled out last time.”

“You don't need to remind me of that. I've dreamt about it enough that I won't be forgetting about it, but that doesn't mean we need someone to supervise us. We're two consenting adults. I think we can figure out our limits.”

“I know that, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone there in case something unexpected happens.”

“We'll make sure you or Pike is around, so we can let you know if something happens. Will that make you feel better?”

“Yes. I only suggested it because I care about you both and I don't want either one of you to get hurt. We're a family.”

“Which is why we'll make sure you're around and let you know if anything happens. We love you, Kiki. The last thing we want to do is upset you over something stupid like this.”

“It's not stupid! What you and Percy have is incredible. I've heard a lot of stories about the power of soulmates. As time goes on, the bond between two souls can grow so great that a connection can develop between them. Most of those stories were talking about feeling each other’s emotions or knowing where the other is if they get separated. What the two of you have is beyond anything I've ever heard of. That's not something to take lightly.”

“We're not taking it lightly, but…” Vax's eyes shifted uncertainly to glance over at him, then turned his focus to the grass. “It's not like either of us had a choice in this. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to have Percy in my life, but what decided to put these marks on our bodies that connect us together? Why make that connection so strong? What's the point?”

“I don't know. Maybe, that's up to you to decide.”

“Maybe so.”

The heavy weight of Vax's searching gaze urged him to reach out for the hand anxiously twist grass between nimble fingers. His fingers laced between the familiar spaces between Vax’s fingers, then gave a firm, reassuring squeeze. A soft smile eased the tension from his expression as his shoulders relaxed. He nearly missed the chime of Keyleth's voice breaking through their bubble in excitement.

“Done! What do you think, Percy?”

“He looks beautiful.” Tearing his eyes away from the sight before him, revealed the onyx strands glittering in the afternoon sun with a burst of color interwoven into it. “You did an amazing job, Kiki. I'm sure everyone else will think so as well.”

“Oh, we should go show Vex! The last time I did hers I played around with a few different designs. I think she'll really enjoy this one.”

“I’d never miss the opportunity to make my sister jealous.”

“Don’t mess up my work, Vax’ildan. I mean it!”

“I would never, but that doesn’t mean Vex won’t.”

“After you provoke her!”

“That doesn’t sound like me.”

Before Keyleth could retort, he pulled Vax to his feet and tight against the side of his body being careful not to destroy Keyleth’s hard work as he did. “I’ll make sure they don’t ruin it.”

“How do you plan on doing that, Freddy?”

“You know I have my ways. Now, let’s go show your sister what Keyleth did.”

“Fine. For Keyleth.”

“For Keyleth.”

* * *

A firm knock against his workshop door pulled him out of the utter focused he'd fallen into upon returning to the keep earlier in the day. After making sure nothing was in danger of blowing up, he placed his current project aside, then opened the door to find Vax waiting patiently on the other side. When Vax made no move to pull him away from his work, Percy stepped to the side to let the half-elf inside the room. Without a word, the rogue slipped inside, closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Percy’s eyes searched for something, but nothing about Vax’s posture or expression gave away what brought him to the workshop.

“Is something on your mind, darling?” Several beats of silence followed his question. “Did you come here for some space or are you having trouble finding the words?”

A few more quiet moments passed, then Vax cut the distance between them to wrap his arms tightly around Percy’s waist. “We're going to be leaving soon.”

“That is why I've been down here all day. Is something about that concerning you?”

“If Kima is as incredible as Allura assures us she is, I do find it a little concerning that she needs us to find her. What kind of trouble does someone like that get into that Allura feels the need to request us go find her and bring her back?”

“It's not like this is the first time we'll go running into unknown danger head on. In fact, you tend to be the one that leads the charge.”

“That doesn't mean I don't consider the possibility of things going completely sideways and this sounds like something that can get out of control very quickly.”

“Things generally do around us, but we find ways to handle it. It's kind of our specialty at this point.”

“True, but this has been nice. Just taking time to ourselves and not having to worry about something trying to kill us.”

“Do you…” He moved his hands from resting lightly against Vax's waist to running soothingly along his spine. “Is it the situation that concerns you or what we've been hired to do?”

“Why would what we've been hired to do concern me? We've done plenty of jobs similar to this.”

“That's my point. Do you not want to do jobs like this?”

“I didn't say that.”

“You didn't have to.”

A heavy sigh fell from Vax's lips as he tipped his head back to lock their eyes. “Look, it's not that I don't want to do jobs like this. I'm very aware that I have a very limited skill set, and that skill set directly relates to jobs of this nature. I'm not a tinkerer like you or a healer like Pike. Most of what I can do isn't something you can make an honest living out of, which I'm well aware of.”

“But?”

“Have we made the most out of the past six months? I know my sister and I left for a while, but we've had plenty of time we could've spent together, and we didn't.”

“Is it about how much time we've spent together or are there things you wish we had done but we didn't?”

“Damn it, Freddy.” Nimble fingers tangled in his messy hair, then pulled him down so Vax didn't have to push onto his toes to kiss him. “Don't bring logic into this.”

“Fine, then let's do something stupid.”

“Like what?”

“I haven't decided just yet. Do you have any ideas?”

“Somewhere that's not here.”

“Obviously.”

After pressing a kiss to the top of Vax's head, he made quick work of shutting down the workshop for the night and putting away his half-finished project. Once he was sure nothing would blow up or could easily be taken, all his attention returned to the half-elf waiting by the door. A few long strides got him across the room to pull Vax into a firm kiss that slowly eased some of the tension that brought him to the workshop. As the kiss broke, his hand latched onto Vax's wrist to tug him out of the workshop and up the stairs.

The crisp night air greeted them the moment they slipped out of the front door of the keep to the deserted courtyard. Without any of their guards noticing, they found their way onto the twisting streets of Emon. While he had no particular destination in mind, his feet led him to a familiar spot that allowed him some peace on previous days.

He released Vax’s hand with a quick smile as he squatted down to offer Vax a leg up to the low roof of the abandoned house. Despite shooting him an inquisitive look, Vax accepted the boost up allowing him to easily get on roof. The favor was returned when Vax dropped down to his stomach to offer a hand that Percy took as he hopped to grab the ledge with his other hand. A quick pull got him on the roof bringing him face to face with Vax.

“Want to tell me what we’re doing up here, Percival?”

“We’re going this way.” A light tug on the hand was all it took to get Vax to follow him across the roof to the opposite end with their pace gradually picking up the closer they got. “Jump!”

They easily cleared the distance between the house and the wall of the city sending them plummeting to the ground below. Before they hit the ground, he pulled Vax tight against his body then twisted to take the majority of the impact. When Vax pushed against his chest to look down at him, a curtain of onyx hair blocked out the rest of the world.

“That was fun. Where to next?”

“I have a few ideas, but I can’t say I mind our current position.”

“You’re not the only one. However, this isn’t the most private of places and I’d prefer some place we wouldn’t be interrupted.”

“That is a very valid point. In that case,” Despite having Vax on top of him, it wasn’t difficult to sit up with his hands propping him up. “I know a good spot to spend some private time together. How do you feel about camping out for the night?”

“We’ll need to be back before the others wake up in the morning or we’ll never hear the end of it.”

“That means you’ll have to wake up at a decent hour for once.”

“Shut up.” After giving a playful shove to his face, Vax rose to his feet and extended a hand that helped pull him off the ground. “Lead the way, Freddy.”

“Gladly, dear.”

When he reached for Vax’s wrist once again, the rogue unexpectedly slipped out of the way and disappeared behind him. A pair of hands landed on his shoulders a second before they pushed down and a set of legs wrapped around his waist. On instinct, his hands caught the thighs clinched on his hips as he took a moment to steady himself. The gentle press of a chin against his shoulder had him craning his head awkwardly for a glimpse of the man on his back.

“We should get a move on. We’re wasting time standing around here.”

“You’re utterly ridiculous. We’d get there faster if you use your own two feet.”

“But this is more fun.”

“For you.”

“Exactly, so get a move on. We don’t have all night.”

“Well, I certainly can’t argue with that logic.”

* * *

“Mind if I join you?” Despite asking permission, Vex didn’t wait for his response to loop her arm through his. “How have you been?”

“Small talk? That’s a bit suspicious.”

“I can jump right into it if you’d prefer.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else from you.”

“In that case, would you care to tell me where you and my brother disappeared off to the other night?”

A glance over at Vex revealed a surprisingly neutral expression obviously meant to hide her reasoning for the question. “We just wanted to get out for a bit. A little alone time before we left for this job. It wasn't anything particularly interesting. I knew a peaceful spot just outside Emon and we spent the night together there. That was all. I promise.”

“I went to my brother's room and couldn't find him, so I went to check yours and neither of you were there either. I figured the workshop would be the next best place and you weren't there. When I couldn't find you anywhere, my mind came up with a few ideas. You must think me incredibly nosy.”

“No more than normal.” The laugh Vex let out at his joke came out hollow and forced. “Is something the matter?”

“I, uh… My brother and I don't keep our past much of a secret. We lived happily with our mother, then our father took us and decided he knew what was best and everyone there looked down on us. For a long time, we only had each other, then we met the others. Keyleth and Pike and Grog and Scanlan. It was nice having other people around to talk to and rely on. When my brother found you, it was like a puzzle piece clicking into place. You fit so perfectly, and you have no idea how happy I was to find out that you and my brother are soulmates. Even before that, there was something special about the way Vax saw you.”

“You'll always be the most important person to him.”

“Believe me, I know that. I love all of you, but Vax is the most important person in my life. I don't know what I'd do without him. That doesn't mean I need him by my side all the time. I just worry that I'm going to miss something important because, honestly, you can both be a bit impulsive and I tease about important things when I don't know what else to do, so you might not tell me things. I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bothering you with this.”

“It's no bother. Really. What did you think we were doing?”

Vex pursed her lips in a thin line, then let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know. I know Vax wouldn’t run off without telling me, but there’s plenty of other things the two of you could run off and do.”

“Such as?”

“Our lives are dangerous.”

“They are.”

“It didn't seem that outlandish to think you might have made some spur of the moment decisions because of that. Something that I wouldn't want to miss.”

“Did you think we ran off to get married last night?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous.”

“Just a bit.” He patted the arm wrapped through his earning him a swift swat to the side of his head. “What? We might not lead the most traditional lives, but I don’t plan on getting hitched with your brother on some random night. At least, not without you and everyone else there.”

“But you would marry my brother?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be the worst decision I made.”

A boisterous laughter filled the air that attracted the attention of an identical half-elf that mirror his sister’s position on his other side. “What’s so funny?”

“I'm not quite sure, but I do believe your sister is having a laugh at me. I can't imagine why that is.”

“My sister would never laugh at you.” Despite his words, Vax leaned across his front to look his sister in the eyes as he addressed her. “Why are we laughing at Percy?”

“Did you know Percy broke his arm jumping off a roof when he was little because his sister convinced him he could fly? I didn't think he ever left the library.”

“That's probably the reason he never left it again.”

“An excellent point, brother.”

“I do have those from time to time, if you ever bothered to listen.”

“That doesn't sound right. I'm fairly certain you're making that up.”

“You're an asshole, Stubby. I don't know why I spend time with you.”

“You love me.”

After a bit of grumbling, a quick hand whipped out to poke Vex's forehead before she got the chance to pull away. “Only because you love me, too.”

“No one can prove that.”

“It doesn't matter. Everybody already knows. Isn't that right, Freddy?”

“Please don't bring me into the middle of this. I'm already stuck between the two of you.” Two pairs of hands trailed teasingly along his side threatening to pinch and poke as they did. “I don't know how I always end up in these situations, but I would like to be removed from the twin death sandwich.”

“We wouldn't kill you. There's no fun in that.”

“That should probably concern me.”

“But it doesn't.”

“Not in the least, which undoubtedly says something about me, but I don't care to figure out what that is.”

A soft snickering in his ear gave him a short warning for the pair of lips that pressed a quick kiss to his temple. “Whatever it is, never change. I'm rather fond of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)).


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